The Displaced Farmer: Men’s Health Month, gardening, stress and faith

It’s kind of funny when you think about it, ironic even.  We have in our midst now a workplace environment where emphasis is placed on maintaining employee “wellness”.  Nothing overly altruistic, it’s a move made not only for the sake of the workers but also for the sake of the employers bottom line cost of healthcare coverage.    There’s also been a lot of talk thrown around the office concerning an employee’s ability to battle stress; a lot of talk.  Which to me is somewhat disingenuous because if an employer truly wanted to help their employees battle stress, they’d ensure that their workers received more money in their pockets at the end of a pay period or limit their work load or recognize their contributions or not try to force them to work outside of their job descriptions.  But I digress.

The good thing about this trend-because I truly think that it’s only a trend-is that we all can use a bit of help when it comes to identifying and combating stress.  Stress is a killer and we need to be able to recognize the symptoms of it: irritability, loss of sleep, weight loss, headaches, lack of concentration just to name a few.  We also need to know how to fight it and regain a solid footing on the road to good mental health.  Everything I’ve ever read says that occupying your mind with a hobby is a major way to get between yourself and the pressure.  And if it’s a hobby that lets you break a bit of a sweat then you’re doubly blessed, indeed.  Problem is what do you do when your chosen hobby, the one that hopefully relieves your stress levels, takes those levels in the opposite direction?  I’ll tell you what you do; you have a little faith.

Gardening is a great hobby with which to relax.  There’s nothing like putting spade to dirt in order to grow something.  You step back with a feeling of accomplishment not present in other hobbies or recreational activities.  But it does, after all, involve nature and thus isn’t something that will go just as planned.  This summer is a very good case in point.  Hot, humid weather is raising a ruckus in many gardens across the region.  Bacterial or fungal infections are lurking in our yards and only need a bit more “splash” to get really going.  You want to talk about stress?  Try watching your whole growing season, along with the money spent to get it started, go down the toilet right before your very eyes.

So, you have faith that all will be OK.  Trust yourself and have confidence in your abilities to achieve what you set out to do.  Don’t concentrate on the bad that’s happening but rather put your emphasis on creating a plan of action to solve your situation.  It’ll take your mind off your difficulty, if only for a spell and at the same time, give you viable alternatives that may even afford you some success.    June is Men’s Health Month; a time to promote awareness of men’s health issues including early detection and treatment of diseases among men and boys.  But as 53% of Americans say that they receive little to no help in their stress management efforts from their healthcare providers (Harris Interactive), it’s apparent that we need to be able to help ourselves as much as possible.  Truly help yourself by not sweating it.  It won’t change anything if you do and will only make you sick in the long run.

MONDA’S PRINCIPLES

1. Try to develop a solution
2. If not successful in your initial attempt, look for alternatives
3. Seek help; again attempt to find alternative solutions with the aid of others
4. If all efforts fail and you truly have tried to seek a solution then forget it (Not exactly how she put it but you get the idea)

http://www.menshealthmonth.org/

 

 

Put Yourself in Trayvon Martin’s Shoes

Maybe it’s because I watch a lot of Law & Order but if I were the prosecutor, that’s exactly what I’d be trying to do for the jurors.

First, I’d attempt to set the scene for that night.  It was raining, a hard rain that blanketed everything and made visibility difficult.  A teenager was braving the elements, hood up, electing to walk the short distance from the store.  He was a lone, black teenager walking in the rain through the streets of a suburban Florida gated housing community.   He wasn’t known to other members of the community; he was visiting his extended family and was not a regular fixture in the neighborhood.

At some point, Trayvon began to have suspicions that he was being followed.  Who knows what went through his mind then.  It is, after all, Florida and both the state and the region had seen its share of racially motivated violence over the years.  So, it’s understandable that, in the absence of any type of official sanctioning of the shadow, aka a marked police vehicle with lights blaring, the young man would become concerned.   Any rational human being would do so.  He spoke to his girlfriend via cellphone and she advised him to run away.  He probably tried to do so but was no match for the overzealous neighborhood watchman who was determined that this time; “they” wouldn’t get away.  At some point a confrontation erupted; muffled cries for help were heard followed by a shot.  And when it was all said and done, a 17 year old, unarmed African American youth lay on the rain-soaked ground, dead of a single gunshot wound.

The prosecutor wants to look at George Zimmerman’s state of mind that evening.  He needs jurors to recognize that this was a man fervently preoccupied about the safety of his neighborhood and increasingly suspicious of newcomers, so much so that he stalked and killed a lone teenager walking through, simply because the youth was unknown to him.  But the burden of proof has to be difficult for the state, especially with the racial component.  I would argue that the facts of the case should be enough to bring a conviction, in spite of, or even with the help of the “Stand Your Ground” statutes.

776.041 Use of force by aggressor.—

The justification described in the preceding sections of this chapter is not available to a person who:

(1) Is attempting to commit, committing, or escaping after the commission of, a forcible felony; or

(2) Initially provokes the use of force against himself or herself, unless:

(a) Such force is so great that the person reasonably believes that he or she is in imminent danger of death or great bodily harm and that he or she has exhausted every reasonable means to escape such danger other than the use of force which is likely to cause death or great bodily harm to the assailant; or

(b) In good faith, the person withdraws from physical contact with the assailant and indicates clearly to the assailant that he or she desires to withdraw and terminate the use of force, but the assailant continues or resumes the use of force.

History.—s. 13, ch. 74-383; s. 1190, ch. 97-102.

Hussein & Weber, PL

And the facts are simple.  One man stalked and killed another without just cause.  It’s not self defense when you provoke the attack and whether or not it was Zimmerman’s duty to retreat should not be given weight.  And it shouldn’t be, as argument, that he “…reasonably believed that he was in imminent danger of death or great bodily harm…” since he had no business, legal or personal, being out there in the first place.  It makes no difference that he was a neighborhood watchman.  The minute he disobeyed a lawful order from police dispatch to break off his pursuit, he was no longer sanctioned as part of the community effort and became simply another vigilante looking to kill for retribution (776.013(2a) & 776.013(2c)).   In fact, it’s been disclosed that members of the watch are told not to follow with the purpose of apprehending.  They are told to put such actions squarely in the hands of law enforcement.  Another thing:  George Zimmerman has never shown any regret or remorse or offered an apology remaining confident in his right to take the life of another in such an orchestrated fashion.

And with that we come to the main problem with Stand Your Ground.  It gives ordinary residents an exaggerated feeling that they can use deadly force whenever they see fit, regardless of the circumstances.  There’s no vetting of the situation because the killing of the other party makes such determinations impossible.  Even members of the law enforcement community have come out in question of the statute calling it dangerous and confusing.  Unchanged and at its best, tragic accidents will occur with seemingly no true recourse for justice.  At its worst, it’ll be open season with citizens creating all sorts of scenarios in an effort to settle all family business.  And make no mistake, it would be just as wrong, Zimmerman just as guilty, if Trayvon were white.  What’s important to consider is, what’s the value of a human life?  Today, it’s a young black man’s but who knows what tomorrow or the next day will bring.

Sources:  Hussein & Weber, PL, Jacksonville Criminal Defense Lawyer, Jacksonville, FL (Stand Your Ground Statute); Wikipedia, Stand-Your-Ground law

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stand-your-ground_law

 

Punishment necessary as a true hero takes his lumps

Whistleblowing is becoming quite popular these days, especially in defense circles.  From Bradley Manning to Julian Assange and now Eric Snowden, the latest in what seems to be an increasing amount of young people willing to spill the beans about perceived illegal or immoral activities perpetrated by their employers or other entities.  My whole problem with not only Snowden but also Manning and Assange is that each of them wants and appears more than ready to take the kudos and acclaim for their actions but none of them seems willing to take their lumps.

As the motivations of Snowden are weighed along with the debate over the evaporation of our privacy, we need to look at this growing trend.  For those who are involved with, employed by or are members of the military or defense contractors, care must be taken as we consider the punishment necessary when people begin to talk out of turn.  For those serving directly in the military, it becomes a question of honor as well as the law, since anyone who’s served in the armed forces knows of the oath of allegiance you take.  For all others, particularly defense contractors, it’s more a problem of morality and truthfulness but still is a question that requires a legal answer.

And punishment is necessary in all of the presented cases, make no mistake.  Each individual has broken the laws of either, our government or the branch of it that they chose to serve.  Each knew full well the consequences of their actions yet went ahead and did their deeds anyway.  It’s only after the crimes have been committed that they seek to have their activities expunged through the court of public opinion.   But while Joe public can and should be involved in the privacy debate, he or she has no standing on whether or not a crime has occurred and what the punishment for those actions should be.  That has to remain up to the injured party; in this case, the federal government.

And what should we think?  For me at least and maybe it’s a baby-boomer thing but that our government is spying on us did not come as a surprise.  I can’t seem to get up a head of steam and register the outrage that seems to be coming from many in the country.  We’ve had the technology at least since 9/11  (remember, there was the occasional debate/question concerning whether or not surveillance programs existed) and as the war on terror raged on in that infamous date’s aftermath, I was almost certain that if they did indeed have such expertise, they were certainly going to utilize it.  But of course, there’s surveillance and then there’s spying. 

Black Nationalists and others deemed “subversive” were spied on during the 60’s and 70’s.  The current program does not rise to that extreme, I don’t think. While it blankets our entire population, it doesn’t necessarily target specific domestic members, or ordinary citizens, as they did back then.  Anyway, I’d prefer to have the NSA listening in on my phone conversations rather than listening in on my bedroom conversations.  And as hearings are held concerning the benefit that the program has garnered, we must consider the good that’s happened because of it; i.e. foiled terror attacks along with the arrest of those involved.

We should also reflect about what we would think if any of the disrupted plots were allowed to come to fruition.   If, say for instance, the NYSE was bombed (a foiled plot), we’d wonder why, in this day of satellite communications, there was nothing that we could’ve done to prevent such a catastrophe. I can hear it now; “Wasn’t anyone listening?”   Well, now we know that someone is and maybe, just maybe, we need to be thankful that they are.  And along with giving thanks, we should deliberate and accept the fact that those individuals leaking secrets are most times in fact, criminals who have broken the law and should be held accountable.  Continue the debate but don’t excuse illegality while doing so.

UK offers US blueprint to pursue Jim Crow reparations

Nearly half a century later, Great Britain has finally taken the steps to admit their part in the brutality endured by Kenyans while under British colonial rule. And it’s time for the United States to do the same for its citizens.

But it seems that every time anyone broaches the subject of reparations for slavery, there’s never any kind of consensus, on either side, as more questions arise than solutions to the problem.  Whether or not such payments are justified is always the main issue.  Those against see Affirmative Action policies as a system of reparations already in place that look to correct those lingering wrongs of our past Jim Crow period.  Some of those in favor of payments seek, in no short order, to acquire their promised “forty acres and a mule”, or the equivalent commercial value of such on today’s market.  Others look for less tangible awards that could bring real, social change to our inner cities; things like public education reform, more jobs and higher wages.

Both sides bicker back and forth and agreement becomes that forgotten pot on a back burner while the families who have truly lost have no recourse for justice.  But the UK has handed the US a blueprint to follow, if she is so inclined. In 2001, the Associated Press produced a series of articles entitled, Torn from the Land, that revealed case histories of land grabbing, more times than not through the use of violence, intimidation, outright theft or appropriation and murder.

“The Associated Press documented 57 violent land takings-more than half of the 107 land takings found in an 18-month investigation of black land loss in America.  The other cases involved trickery and legal manipulations.”

The Authentic Voice – Torn from the Land; AP, December 3, 2001

If it wanted to, the United States could seek out those individuals or families whose descendants were robbed or killed for their property in the same way that Great Britaininvestigated and identified 5,228 Kenyans who were tortured at the hands of British colonial soldiers.

“If you’re looking for stolen black land, just follow the lynching trail”.

Ray Winbush – Director, Fisk University Race Relations Institute

Incidents where murder was committed and the estates of individuals stolen would be a proper place to begin the repair.  On the one hand, you have documented proof of the theft or fraud, information that should allow you to seek damages.  On the other hand, there is no statute of limitations for murder.  And even if the crime can’t be criminally adjudicated, you should still be able to seek monetary damages in civil court.  Besides, the idea of compensation for wrongs, past or present, is not lost on the government.

In 1980, the United States officially apologized for the internment of more than 100,000 Japanese Americans during World War II.  President Jimmy Carter appointed a commission to investigate the camps and whether their creation was legitimately justified.  The Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians recommended that surviving internees or their descendants receive payments of $20,000 each.

During the Iraq war, condolence payments-money distributed to Iraqi families whose victims were harmed or killed by US military action-rose from $5 million in 2004 to over $20 million in 2005, according to Pentagon financial data. (Boston.com-World News)  The United States was also paying the families of Afghan war victims $2,000 for each death and $1,000 for each person wounded.  This amount increased to $50,000 for each villager killed in the rogue attack by Army Staff Sgt. Robert Bales on March 11, 2012. In that case, each villager wounded received $11,000.

So, why is it a problem when it comes to reparations, specific reparations for instances of land grabbing and murder that occurred right here in the United States?  It’s not as if to do so is unprecedented.  And of course, it’s understandable that the federal government would be reluctant in revisiting crimes perpetrated by white Americans during a rather ugly time in our history when the country was finding itself and grappling with the seeds of white supremacy.  It would be painful for all citizens to have to relive that period but doing so would allow us, like the UK, to finally begin to come full circle and start the serious healing.

If you didn’t know better, you’d think that America was alright with paying everybody, and anybody, but its own African-American citizens.  I’m just saying…

Associated Press – Torn from the Land

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines01/1202-03.htm

http://theauthenticvoice.org/mainstories/tornfromtheland/torn_part2/

http://theauthenticvoice.org/mainstories/tornfromtheland/torn_part3/

http://theauthenticvoice.org/mainstories/tornfromtheland/torn_part4/

http://theauthenticvoice.org/mainstories/tornfromtheland/torn_part5/

http://theauthenticvoice.org/mainstories/tornfromtheland/torn_part6/

http://theauthenticvoice.org/mainstories/tornfromtheland/tornlynching_graphic/

http://theauthenticvoice.org/mainstories/tornfromtheland/torn_afamilydivided/

BIG BROTHER is us

We were first introduced to Big Brother in George Orwell’s novel, 1984. Since then that mythical character has taken root in the world’s culture as an example of big government gone decidedly wrong.  One can’t deny the similarities exiting between the fictitious, totalitarian republic of Oceania and many of today’s societies, ours included.  GPS and surveillance cameras along with secret prisons where habeas corpus is non-existent, were all an integral part of that mid twentieth century tale, and yet now, are all a part of our every day lives. And in still another example of art imitating real life, we learned Thursday that the National Security Agency (NSA) has been sifting through our phone records for years since 9/11, with the permission of the carrier, Verizon.  Why people are outraged, I don’t quite fathom.  And I don’t understand because more so than the government, we’ve become accustomed to spying and prying into our neighbor’s affairs and we’ve become pretty good at it since we’ve been doing it for some time now.

Once we were happy to be isolated from one another.  We knew we weren’t alone and could find a friend when needed but each of us had at our disposal an occasion to raise a barrier of sorts that afforded some protection from the prying eyes and ears of those bent on doing us harm, or those who were simply nosier than was necessary.  We came inside our homes, closed our doors and pulled down our shades.  We took our phones off the hook and kept out of sight when we chose to.  We existed in our singular castles, lowering the drawbridge and offering access only to the few and the vetted.  But then, something happened that changed us and our perception of that treasured, privileged right.   That which we previously guarded so judiciously is these days now readily surrendered for the sake of utility and oftentimes, status.

Consider this: every time we tweet a clever phrase or turn of the tongue, we give away a piece of our intellectual property; all the while gathering followers who expect us to continue to do so.  Hearts are laid bare as we update our statuses on Facebook, either because of a sincere desire to find some sort of support in the proceedings or simply to keep up with the Jones. Whatever the reasons why we do so, once we do we can’t take it back.  We’ve created an atmosphere of expectation, of wanting and of relinquishment.  We, as members of society, have opened that Pandora’s Box ourselves.  Is it any wonder then that the government would attempt to benefit from the relaxed atmosphere of acceptance that exists in this day and age of social media?

Don’t get me wrong.  I’m not trying to beat up on Facebook or Twitter.  There is a place for social media in today’s society; we’ve seen the benefit their use can provide during troubled times.  Lives were undoubtedly saved in Oklahoma because of people being able to notify each other via their smart phones and on Facebook.  All sorts of beneficial platforms and apps exist that can provide immense relief in a variety of situations.  Still, the current way we utilize those same platforms opens each of our lives up to the other, oftentimes unfortunately, to our individual detriment.  But yet, we continue to log on.  As we persist, despite our concerns over our loss of liberty, real or imagined, isn’t it disingenuous of us to expect our government to provide us with something that we seem to no longer hold that near and dear to our hearts?  I think so.  I’m just saying…